Music holder



J y 1950 B. JOHNSTON 2,514,058

MUSIC HOLDER Filed Jan. 17, 1947 616 JNVENTOR. lawrencefikfoizzwfirg Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATE m cs 1 My invention relates to a device for. holding scores or sheets of music, and. more particularly to a device for holding a plurality ofv single sheets of music for a band instrument.

Band instruments are frequently played while the members of the band are on parade, i. e., standing or marching, and in uch case the music score is generally carried on a holder attached. to the instrument. It has been the practice of some bands or instrument manufacturers to provide on the band instruments a clamping device in which may be held a, sheet or plurality of sheets of music. When the band is to play more or less continuously it is necessary for the player to shift the sheets of music held by said clamp in order to bring into view the successive passages of the piece being played. With known clamping devices this action requires the use oi one. hand for turning or shifting the sheets of music while the other hand works the clamping device. Si multaneously the instrument must be upported. Inconvenience, delays and interruptions are, therefore, unavoidable.

It is an object of my invention to provide a music holder for a plurality of sheets of music whereby successive sheets may quickly be brought into view by the use of a single hand of the Since the music is generally printed on paper, a band which plays in wind or rain may have its music blown about so as not to be readable or dampened so that it becomes limp and unmanageable. Exposure of the music to such in clement weather is likely to cause its destruction. It is a further object of my invention to provide a music holder which will protect the music from wear and weather while yet making it readily accessible to the person playing the instrument.

In the preferred form of my invention, I provide a series of transparent envelopes open at the sides and preferably at the top, and hinged atthe top to a common supporting member by a hinge of rings of a character such as will allow the envelopes to hang flat, and yet avoid binding the envelopes when they are turned over on the hinge. Each envelope exposes a sheet of music on each side of the envelope, and also rovides room to store additional music within it between the exposed sheets. In this manner, with four envelopes, for example, eight sheets of .i'hl: to may be exposed and thirty or more additional sheets may conveniently be carried. Since a complete march can be printed on one side'of a single sheet of music, eight complete marches may be played consecutively, as Will be more 2 Claims. (Cl. 12934) 2 fully understood from the following description when taken with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the music holder of my invention employed with a band instrument which is shown fragmentarily; I

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the music holder of my invention with the envelopes separated slightly for purposes of better illustration;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of connected hinge rings; and

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 6-5 of Figure of the connected hinge rings.

Like reference numerals have been employed inv the several views to indicate the same or similar elements.

The reference numeral Ill indicates generally a music holder of my invention, and comprises a fiat rigid back board or supporting member lz which in its preferred form is rectangular and has a plurality of small slots I4 (see Figure 2) at its upper margin, said slots having their longitudinal axes lying substantially on a common line parallel to the upper edge of the supporting memher. In each of these slots there is a flat ring #6 which may be joined to the other rings It'by a common longitudinal strip is which lies onone side of the supporting member I 2. Preierablythe rings are interconnected by the strip l8, which hereby holds them erect and substantially parallel to each other in order to provide a smoother acting hinge. The construction of this form or" hinge is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. g

A series of individual, flexible, transparent en'- velopes such as envelopes 2B, 2!, 22 and 23are carried by the supporting member 52 by the flat rings it since the rings pass loosely through'a series of rectangular slots 24 near the upper edge of each envelope. The slots 2% are spaced from each other the same distance as slots i l of the member 12. Takin envelope it as an example, it will be seen that said envelope is open at both ends 25, 25, and has rec ssed portions 26, 26 at each end to permit a thumb and finger to grip a sheet of music, such as sheet 28 or 28' carried in a the envelope Ell, for easy retraction of either of those sheets or others which may be stored between them. The envelope Z-il is closed at its lower edge to by a fold in the transparent material which forms the envelope. At its upper edges 32 and 34 the envelope 23 is open so that the side walls may be spread apart at the bound end to accommodate varying numbers of sheets of music. If desired, each of the envelopes 2%,,2 i 22 and 23 may be formed with its upper edge closed, but this is less advantageous when additional sheets are to be stored in the envelope. In its preferred form each of the envelopes is of slightly less width than the supporting member 12, so that the edges of member [2 will extend laterally beyond the open ends 25, 25 of the envelopes as at 40, for example. This provides protection for the open edges of the envelopes and the sheets of material therein. I also prefer to form the envelopes so that when they are suspended from the rings l6, they will extend slightly below the lower edge 42 of supporting member 12. This makes easier the engagement and turning of each envelope about its hinged connection since the lower edges of the sheets may be brushed and separated by the thumb of the person playing the instrument more easily than would be the case if the support member extended below the edges of the envelopes. In general, the envelopes are approximately of the same vertical dimension as the back and slightly narrower horizontally than the back, but this arrangement of relative edges may be varied.

The supporting member I2 is adapted to be gripped along its lower edge, or, if desired, along its side edge by a clamping device such as a spring clamp. In the illustrated form the clamping device 59 consists of a lyre shape clamp having three prongs 52, 54 and B, the prongs 52 and 56 lying in one vertical plane and the spring prong 54 having its lower end lying in a plane spaced from the other prongs, but having its upper end inclined toward the plane of prongs 52 and 56. The prongs 52, 54 and 56 are connected together by a laterally extending portion 58 which has a downwardly directed cylindrical stub shaft or post 60 which may, if desired, be squared at its lower end. A hinged spring actuated type of lyre or clamp of known or any preferred form may be used. The post 80 may embody a vertical v swivel to permit turning around of the holder. The shaft 60 is adapted to seat in a socket 62 secured to the top of the band instrument 64 (shown fragmentarily), the socket having an inner surface cooperating with the end of shaft 60. A set screw 66 threaded in the side of the socket 62 is adapted to engage the shaft 65} and to hold the clamping member 50 in place. When the supporting member .12 is inserted between the pair of prongs 52 and 56, and the center spring prong 54, it is releasably gripped so that, when desired, the player may lift up the holder and turn it 180. Alternatively, if the lower end of shaft 60 is cylindrical and socket 62 is cylindrical, a friction fit between the two parts will permit the user to rotate the clamp at will to reverse the sides of holder 18. In this connection I contemplate the permanent connection to the supporting back board l2 of a post which will permit the entire music holder I 0 to be rotated when the post is positioned in the socket carried by the band instrument. It will be understood that other forms of spring clamps and connections with the band instrument are usable, the illustrated clamp 50 representing merely one suitable form.

In preparing the music holder of my invention for use a player will first place all the envelopes on one side of the supporting member 12 and insert in consecutive envelopes, facing outwardly,

sheets of music which will be employed one after 7 another when the band is playing. On the reverse side of each envelope there will also be positioned a sheet of music and these sheets will music on the one side of the envelopes has been played, and the envelopes have been turned over to the other side of the supporting member (2, by their hinged connections, the next sequence of music will be lined up on the other sides of said envelopes. To employ said other sides, the player will only be required to tm'n the holder 10 around, either by rotating the clamp 50 or by removing the holder from clamp 59 and turning it about and reinserting it in the clamp, whereupon new sheets of music will be available in proper sequence. Between the sheetswhich are exposed on the two sides of each envelope, there may be stored additional music which will not be needed immediately, so that the player may carry sufficient music for several hours of playing all conveniently arranged and protected from wind and weather.

When the sheet of music on the exposed side of the first envelope has been played, the instrument player will swing that envelope over the top of the supporting member !2 and let it swin downwardly to the other side of said member, at which time the other side of said envelope becomes exposed on the back side of the holder l0. By this action the second envelope is revealed and its exposed face will carry the second sheet of music in the sequence of pieces to be played. When the music exposed by the second envelope has been played, that envelope may also be swung over the top of supporting member I2 by virtue of the hinged connection.

Since a single march may be printed on a single sheet of music, as many marches may be played consecutively as there are envelopes in the holder, and an equal number of marches can be played almost immediately thereafter merely upon shifting of the supporting member so that the other sides of said envelopes are positioned before the player.

There are several interrelated features that contribute to the satisfactory performance of the present music holder. The hinge connection between the envelopes and the back employs a series of rings which are connected mechanically together, so that they all retain their respective aligned positions closely guiding the parts, and yet not binding, even though the envelope be quite flexible, and although the envelope be grasped at one corner for turning over. In the preferred form of my invention, the rings 1 6 are connected by a common connecting bar [8 which may be an integral part of a sheet of metal from which the rings and bar are stamped and folded. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rings are formed integral with the two side portions 61 and B8 of the bar i 8, the free ends 69 of the rings being clamped and held between said side members 61, 68 of said bar l8. Other means for holding the rings in parallel alignment may be employed if desired.

For compactness it is desirable for these rings 16 to be small in diameter, but to serve the desired purpose of holding the envelopes even when the upper ends of one or more envelopes are spread by including extra sheets of music, requires them to be of a diameter great enough to allow said upper edges of the sheets to spread out and not cause bulging at the center. In one example of my invention, a heavy cardboard back about 5" by 7 using eleven rings of approximately inside diameter carries for Celluloid envelopes consisting of Celluloid sheets folded together in the middle to form the closed lower edge, and provided with oblong slots about A" long at the upper ends for receiving the rings IE.

Thus, even though there be additional sheets of music inserted in the holders or envelopes, the same will not bulge at the middle, but spread slightly at the upper end where room for expansion is provided, and the edges are nevertheless restrained from excessive spreading or gaping open by the binding rings Hi.

It is important to note that the envelopes, even when loaded with additional sheets, lie fiat against one another on either side of the back I2. That is they will hang vertically or substantially so by the force of gravity alone, and will not catch the breeze, and will not require any additional holding means to make them stay in position.

I claim:

1. A music holder comprising a rigid substantially rectangular supporting member adapted to be carried by a band instrument, a series of transparent envelopes having a hinged connection at their respective top edges with the top edge of the supporting member, whereby the individual envelopes may be swung from one side of said member to the other, said member being wider and shorter than the envelopes, whereby its sides extend beyond the side edges of the envelopes, and said envelopes have their lower edges hanging below the lower edge of the supporting member.

2. A music holder comprising a fiat rigid substantially rectangular backboard adapted to be gripped at one edge by a spring clamping mechanism carried by a band instrument, a plurality of cylindrical rings having connection with each other to maintain parallel alignment and being carried by the backboard by openings adjacent 6 its top edge, and a series of transparent ex: pansible envelopes open at both ends and at the top and having slots in their respective upper margins threaded upon said rings, and each of said envelopes being adapted to hold a plurality of sheets of unusic and to expose one sheet on each of its sides, the envelopes being movable individually from one side of the supporting member to the other to reveal succeeding sheets of music in the one side of the succeeding envelopes and to place the sheets of music in playing sequence on the other side of the backboard in the reverse side of said envelopes, said backboard being wider and shorter than said envelopes whereby the side edges of the envelopes lie inwardly of the side edges of said backboard and have their bottom edges hanging below the lower edge of said backboard.

LAWRENCE B. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 984,055 White Feb. 14, 1911 1,157,194 Tryens Oct. 19, 1916 1,807,467 Bonander May 26, 1931 2,040,251 Fabry May 12, 1936 2,114,815 Salsman Apr. 19, 1938 2,123,625 Emmer July 12, 1938 2,234,086 Roseraugh Mar. 4, 1941 

